Can I help?
That was the question asked by the little girl. I didn’t actually need any assistance. Further, she was so tiny I wondered if she could handle even one of the volumes I was ferrying into my office. Nonetheless, her eyes were eager to serve as her arms reached up to take some of my books. I smiled and gave her three to carry, knowing I would be right beside her as we walked across campus and could intervene if she stumbled.

She smiled back – one of those ear-to-ear kinds that speak to deep joy. Seeing that massive grin, it hit me what a holy thing this represented. In this moment, I was blessed to participate in someone fulfilling God’s command to serve the brethren through love. Her unlikely candidacy for service made it all the more precious.

To share that this young lady had a very difficult start in life is a dramatic understatement. She was badly malnourished and basically living feral until discovered by authorities and quickly adopted by a family in our church. She has blossomed in family, friendship, and faith. Lugging heavy books is par for her course, as she thoroughly enjoys imitating her Lord Jesus – who came not to be served, but to serve.

I thanked her, and she skipped happily down the foyer. I was reminded that God incredibly allows me to serve Him, and I should do so just like her. The Lord doesn’t need my help. I frankly can’t carry anything He hands me. Yet, He is right there to help, talking along the way, and thanking me.

With that thought, I grinned ear to ear and skipped into the auditorium to teach.

God bless,

Wayne

A harrowing ride
Nayim, my Jordanian guide and friend, called over one of his young relatives. The native lad was instructed to take me by donkey to the back side of Petra beyond where visitors are usually allowed to go. We climbed far up into the mountains, past the Roman structures, beyond the earlier Nabatean carvings, all the way up to one of the highest of high places in antiquity.

There, I was astonished to view an ancient high place likely originally carved by Edomites. The area was dedicated to Baal worship, sporting a basin for blood collection, channels to take blood away from a burning offering, and holes nearby for the erection of Asherah poles. These high places hosted scenes of disgusting exploitation of women and men in the name of pagan worship. They also generated extensive revenue for the warlords, cities, or kingdoms who controlled access to the high places.

Courage
Which is what makes 2 Chronicles 14 so astonishing. Asa had gumption and fortitude to knock those down. He surrenders popularity and tax revenue because it was the right thing to do. Long ago, Dr. Lockyear related this to each of us:

It (Asa’s stand) took courage…Our idols of fortune, fashion, popularity, self-indulgence, must be severely dealt with if we desire God’s best. We can only be right with God and with one another when we are right about our little gods and man-made idols.
– Herbert Lockyear, All the Men of the Bible

By God’s grace, let’s knock them down!

God bless,

Wayne

The feet of kings
We have just begun a new series on podcast and radio: “At the feet of kings.” This jaunt through rulers helps us understand the character and choices that led to various triumphs and tragedies of faith in Judah’s monarchy. My prayer is that such understanding would be applied to each believer’s own character development.

To help with that development and the understanding that sparks it, we have attached my personal study notes HERE. We hope they will be of great use as we learn together.

God bless,

Wayne

No stone unturned
The smooth stone flies faster and truer. It cuts through the atmosphere and stays on target. Just think how important the smooth stone is for what God wanted to accomplish through David. The Bible specifically mentions that God’s young shepherd grabbed “smooth” stones. Had David grabbed rough rocks, he would be likely unknown to us, meriting in his death merely another notch on Goliath’s belt.

People need to know how the body of Christ can help get the rough edges off each other so that all are useful in God’s work. To use a rock-polishing image, the question is “How should members of a church scrape and smooth and polish each other?” The Apostle Paul answered the question about 1960 years ago in Colossians 3:16, where he shared God’s instruction for sanctifying community:

• Read, study, apply, and memorize scripture.
• Nurture significant relationships in the fellowship.
• Worship God with gratitude.

God bless,

Wayne

Unbiblical nonsense is everywhere
A fairly large percentage of the notes I am blessed to receive each week concern sound doctrine. Here are few of the more painful ones from this week:

•    Our friend laughs at the idea of Jesus being fully God, and he uses lots of authors to support his point.
•    At [the conference] we attended, the doctrine of atonement was described as “old-fashioned” and “insulting.”
•    My sister has adopted the weird theology of “Christian universalism.”

This, dear friends, is why we engage ourselves in scripture. Titus answers all these issues, enabling us to kindly and firmly help ourselves and others “become sound in the faith.”

God bless,

Wayne

Titus
As you have likely noticed, the podcast and broadcast this week began a discussion of the incredible book of Titus. If you would like more background and depth, you can access my personal study notes here.

Titus has deeply affected my soul, and I look forward to hearing how it is changing you.

God bless,

Wayne